Method of reimbursement for bonus games of slot machines

ABSTRACT

A method of reimbursement for a bonus game adopted for slot machines. It is executed when a bonus game is finished. The method includes steps of: executing a reimbursement judgment module, executing a reimbursement game module, executing a win judgment module and executing a score calculation module. The reimbursement judgment module judges whether a player has reached a set threshold in the bonus game, and repeatedly executes the reimbursement game module until reaching the set threshold to accumulate bonus game scores. After the win judgment module has judged that a reimbursement set threshold is reached, stop execution of the reimbursement game module. Finally, the score calculation module calculates the bonus game scores and stops the bonus game. The method assures the player to earn a certain profit in the bonus game to satisfy the expectation and increase the excitation, and attracts the player to play the slot machine.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a bonus game of slot machines andparticularly to a method of reimbursement for a bonus game adopted forslot machines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Please refer to FIG. 1 for a slot machine 1, which is one of the populargaming machines. After a player stakes a bet, a plurality of reels 2 canbe activated to spin. When the reels 2 stop, the alignments of symbolsare formed to obtain scores for a bonus game. If a specific symbol isappeared or satisfied a preset condition, the player is awarded to playthe bonus game. The bonus game has features of free spins, multiplescores and lock of appeared wild symbol. Hence the player has greaterprobability to obtain higher bonus game scores without extra expense andis excited by the expectation of hitting jackpot. This is one of theimportant features of the slot machine 1 to attract players.

However, under completely random setting, even in the bonus game withgreater probability of winning, there is also possibility of failing toobtain alignments to hit jackpot and results in no wining or less scoresawarded. The player could be easily discouraged or feel frustratedbecause of repetitive disappointments of loss or just gaining smallawards amid the expectation of winning jackpot, and the motivation tocontinuously play the slot machine 1 is diminished. As a result,utilization of the slot machine 1 drops, and revenue of the slot machine1 also decreases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a method ofreimbursement to repeatedly execute a reimbursement game module until areimbursement set threshold is satisfied to get corresponding bonus gamescores.

To achieve the foregoing object, the present invention provides a methodof reimbursement for a bonus game adopted for slot machines. It isexecuted when a bonus game is finished. The bonus game aims to get bonusgame scores by spinning a plurality of reels to generate symbolalignments. The method includes steps as follows: execute areimbursement judgment module, execute a reimbursement game module,execute a win judgment module, and execute a score calculation module.

The reimbursement judgment module judges whether a player has reached aset threshold in the bonus game, and repeatedly execute thereimbursement game module until the set threshold is reached toaccumulate bonus game scores; after the win judgment module judges thatthe reimbursement set threshold is reached, stop execution of thereimbursement game module; finally, the score calculation modulecalculates the bonus game scores and stops the bonus game.

In the bonus game, a reimbursement scheme is added in the invention setforth above. When it is judged that the player does not get a desiredamount of scores in the bonus game, i.e. not yet reach the setthreshold, the reimbursement scheme is activated so that the player cancontinuously get bonus game scores through the reimbursement gamemodule; after the reimbursement set threshold is reached, execution ofthe reimbursement game module is stopped, thus is satisfied theexpectation of the player and create much attraction for the player toplay the slot machine.

The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages ofthe invention will be more readily apparent from the followingembodiment and detailed description, which proceeds with reference tothe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional slot machine.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a plurality of reels of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the bonus game of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the reimbursement game module of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 3, the present invention aims to provide amethod of reimbursement for a bonus game adopted for slot machines. Itincludes steps of: step 10: executing after a bonus game is finished;the bonus game getting bonus game scores by spinning a plurality ofreels 60 to generate symbol alignments; step 20: executing areimbursement judgment module; step 30: executing a reimbursement gamemodule; step 40: executing a win judgment module; and step 50: executinga score calculation module.

Step 20: executing the reimbursement judgment module; judging whether aplayer has reached a set threshold in the bonus game.

Step 30: executing the reimbursement game module; repeatedly executingthe reimbursement game module until the reimbursement set threshold isreached to accumulate bonus game scores;

Step 40: executing the win judgment module; stopping execution of thereimbursement game module after the win judgment module has judged thatthe reimbursement set threshold is reached.

Step 50: executing the score calculation module; the score calculationmodule calculating the bonus game scores and stopping the bonus game.

Please refer to FIG. 4 for the steps of executing the bonus game of theinvention. It includes steps of: step 11: confirming whether enteringconditions are satisfied; step 12: entering the bonus game; step 13:activating the reels to automatically spin; step 14: calculating scoresof the symbol alignments; step 15: confirming whether it is in the lastround; if yes, finishing the bonus game; if no, repeating step 13 toactivate the reels to automatically spin.

Please refer to FIG. 5 for the steps of executing the reimbursement gamemodule. It includes steps of: step 31: activating the reels toautomatically spin; and step 32: calculating and accumulating bonus gamescores.

It is to be noted that the set threshold of the invention may be setaccording to requirements without restrictions, so does thereimbursement set threshold. The reimbursement set threshold can be setat a value higher than that of the set threshold so that after theplayer has entered the reimbursement game, he/she can win a certain bigaward. Thus this feature not only provides reimbursement, but alsomotivates the player to play the reimbursement game. Two embodiments arediscussed below as examples, but not the limitations of the invention.

First embodiment: the set threshold and reimbursement set threshold canbe the accumulated bonus game scores of continuous games greater than adesignated multiple of a bet per unit: in the bonus game, in order toaccelerate accumulation speed of the bonus game scores, the bonus gamescores can be set to be increased by a multiple of the number ofcontinuous games; for instance, the accumulated bonus game scores of thefirst bonus game has a multiple of one, the accumulated bonus gamescores of the second bonus game has a multiple of two, the accumulatedbonus game scores of the Nth bonus game has a multiple of N. Take tencontinuous games as an example, the accumulated bonus game scores of thetenth bonus game has a multiple of ten. In such a condition,“accumulated bonus game scores of continuous games greater than eighttimes of the bet per unit” can be set as the set threshold. When theaccumulated bonus game scores do not reach the set threshold, proceedstep 30 to accumulate the bonus game scores through the reimbursementgame module. The reimbursement set threshold can be selected to setequal to or higher than the set threshold. With the accumulation speedat ten times of the bonus game scores, the reimbursement set thresholdcan be reached quickly to provide an exciting anticipation of winningthe jackpot for the player.

Second embodiment: the set threshold and reimbursement set threshold canbe the number of a wild symbol appeared on the reels greater than adesignated ratio of the numbers of the reels; the wild symbol is aspecial symbol which can represent any symbol in the bonus game, and canbe locked without spinning once it is appeared on the reels. The morecontinuous bonus games are undertaken, the more wild symbols are locked,and the more symbol alignments are generated. In other words, when thenumbers of the locked wild symbols have reached a certain quantity, itcan be inferred that the player has gotten sufficient bonus game scores.For instance, “the number of the wild symbol appeared on the reels being33% of the numbers of the reels” can be set as the set threshold; whenthe ratio of the appearance of the wild symbol is less than 33%, thewild symbols of the reels are locked and step 30 is proceeded tocontinuously accumulate the bonus game scores through the reimbursementgame module until the ratio of the appearance of the wild symbol isgreater than the reimbursement set threshold.

As a conclusion, in a bonus game, the reimbursement judgment module ofthe invention judges whether the player has reached the set threshold.When the set threshold is not reached, the reimbursement scheme can beactivated to allow the player to continuously get bonus game scores andstop execution of the reimbursement game module once the reimbursementset threshold is reached. Thus the player can be assured to earn aprofit in the bonus game to realize anticipation and to attract theplayer to play the slot machine.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of reimbursement for a bonus game of aslot machine, a player staking a bet on a slot machine to activate aplurality of reels to spin, when the plurality of reels being stoppedand symbols of the plurality of reels forming alignments and satisfyinga preset condition, a bonus game being entered and played; during thebonus game, the alignments of the symbols generated by spinning of theplurality of reels being calculated to get and accumulate bonus gamescores, the method comprising steps of: presetting a set threshold inthe bonus game; executing a reimbursement judgment module to judgewhether the accumulated bonus game scores reach the set threshold in thebonus game; if the set threshold is not yet reached, a reimbursementgame module is entered and a reimbursement game is played, and areimbursement set threshold is further set in the reimbursement game ifthe set threshold is reached, a score calculation module is executed tocalculate the bonus game scores and stop the bonus game; executingrepeatedly the reimbursement game module until the reimbursement setthreshold is reached to accumulate the bonus game scores; executing awin judgment module and stopping execution of the reimbursement gamemodule, and executing the score calculation module to calculate thebonus game scores and stop the bonus game after the win judgment modulehas judged that the reimbursement set threshold is reached.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the bonus game includes steps of: confirmingwhether entering conditions are satisfied; entering the bonus game;activating the reels to automatically spin; calculating scores of thesymbol alignments; and confirming whether it is in a last round; if yes,finishing the bonus game; if no, repeating activating the reels toautomatically spin.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step ofexecuting the reimbursement game module further includes steps of:activating the reels to automatically spin; and calculating andaccumulating the bonus game scores.
 4. The method of claim 1, whereinthe set threshold and the reimbursement set threshold are theaccumulated bonus game scores of continuous bonus games greater than adesignated multiple of a bet per unit, the accumulated bonus game scoresof the bonus games being increased by the multiple of the number of thecontinuous bonus games.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the setthreshold and the reimbursement set threshold are the number of a wildsymbol appeared on the reels greater than a designated ratio of thenumbers of the reels, the wild symbol representing any symbol in thebonus game and being locked without spinning when appeared on the reels.